Best liner/ bedding for drop tray

[Claireabella]

I brought one of these when one of my girls were poorly; they're really useful for overnight stays in the house. I've only had hybrids in the past until I got my new girls a few weeks ago, so I've got all the broody behaviour to come yet

[Egg_x]

I'm just curious but is there such thing as a non/less broody bantam? As I only have a small set up I think they would be more suitable due to size however I'm not sure as a first time hen keeper I'd be up to the task of dealing with broody hens so frequently

[Daphne]

Yes, some breeds are less prone to being broody, but there is no such thing as a completely non-broody hen Lightweight Mediterranean breeds are less likely to want to sit on eggs - things like polands, ancona, hamburghs, campines, minorcas, rosecombs etc

[Egg_x]

Yes, some breeds are less prone to being broody, but there is no such thing as a completely non-broody hen Lightweight Mediterranean breeds are less likely to want to sit on eggs - things like polands, ancona, hamburghs, campines, minorcas, rosecombs etc

 

Thanks! Just had a quick read up on each of the breeds, seems they prefer to free range for larger amounts of time - I'll only be able to allow this when home from work. Who knew hen keeping came with so many considerations/decisions maybe I'll revert back to hybrids as a starting point and just not get too many to grant them extra space.

[miller30]

Hi ive picked up some good dog crates from ebay my cheapest was £3 for a large one bargain I would also feed her chickcrumb if she has lost a lot of weight I know your not letting her sit but all my broodys eat chickcrumb with the smallest amount of corn added from the day I put them on eggs and it seems to keep them going and really fattens them up again and it wouldn't hurt her for a few weeks but im sure she will be fine leanne

[Beantree]

We have Brown English Leghorn Bantams Laura.Stevens.319. We had a hen go broody yesterday and she gave up within two hours, which is the first time I've every noticed one go broody in three years. Leghorns are a very productive Mediterranean breed originally. We get a 45 -50 gramme very tasty egg for about 80 grammes of feed. At one time everyone in my friends village kept the White variety, which are much easier to source. They need very little space but do like grass. Very flighty but rather cute. The cockerel is a real character and very tame. A breed I can certainly recommend.

 

£3 for an Ebay dog crate is a great buy. I don't think any of ours were less than £20.

[The Dogmother]

I'm just curious but is there such thing as a non/less broody bantam? As I only have a small set up I think they would be more suitable due to size however I'm not sure as a first time hen keeper I'd be up to the task of dealing with broody hens so frequently

 

Most of mine don't brood, just the odd hen - the general rule of thumb is .... the fluffier they are. the more inclined they are to brood. Hence, Pekins and Silkies are the worst, closely followed by Orpingtons.

[dipsychick]

I always seem to have at least one broody on the go at the moment , but then 9 of our hens are pekins

 

I too use a small dog crate which i turned upside down so the slightly larger wholes are at the top and remove the tray.

since feb 5 of the 9 have taken up residence in it some more than once .

 

Two of them worked out how to escape , I have now put strips of gaffa tape across all the bigger wholes at the top of the crate and this has stopped them getting out .

 

It was quite a surprise the first time to open the shed in the morning and not see or hear the chook i had locked up the night before and find the crate still shut as i left it , had the tray on top with two bricks holding it down too !

 

good luck with your broody , you will be so glad you got the dog crate

[Millie-Annie]

Well the crate hasn't arrived yet, but she has spent two days and nights in the side run with no access to the nesting box. This morning as I was checking her water, she shot passed me and went to join the others. I tried to catch her, but she was having none of it. She had stopped that stupid deep clucking and was bop bopping and I swear she said "let me stay out here, I promise I'll be good" As I was off to work I had to leave her but I thought if I get home tonight and she is in the other nesting box I will just have to start again. But she isn't she is still up, trotting about, making normal chicken noises so hopefully this has cracked it.

 

Thanks for you advice

[chickencam]

Good news

 

I have my first ever full on broody, I have had a couple that have shown signs of broodiness but I have been around to kick them out of the nesting box regularly. However I was at work all week last week and my hybrid Light Sussex whi is about a year old has taken up residence in the Eglu nest box. We have been kicking her out over the weekend to no great avail, I have dunked her in cold water a couple of times today and she has stayed out for longer each time and has been eating and drinking, so hopefully she is not too set in her ways. I only have one isolation coop and that is in use at the moment, I think that I will invest in one of the small dog crates for the future. She is a big bird and more Light Sussex than whatever else she was crossed with I think. I have a pure breed Light Sussex who is 7 and has never gone broody thank god because I wouldn't fancy arguing with her

[Julesf3]

Out of two bantams only one if ours went broody last autumn. We had a spare coop and kept her isolated in the day with no straw etc. when we saw her going in main coop we kept pushing her out. This lasted about three weeks even with constant vigilance. She literally snapped out if it overnight in the end !

[keyhole kate]

My crate arrived just in time too my black silkie is full on broody she's a nightmare she's like a stroppy teenager